Three Warrior Hikers who spent a couple of days on their way through on the Continental Divide Trail are from left Slade Scott, Nathan Buchholz and Ronald Young.

Photo and article by Mary Alice Murphy

In 1948, Earl Shaffer decided to "walk off the war" to work out what he had experienced in World War II, according to the website https://warriorexpeditions.org. Four months later, he became the first person to complete the entire Appalachian Trail, which runs from Georgia to Maine.

Since then, other warriors have used the outdoors and hiking, biking and paddling to work through their experiences in combat situations.

In 2012, Marine Corps veteran Sean Gobin followed Shaffer's footsteps and hiked the entire Appalachian Trail. "Recognizing the therapeutic effects of long-distance hiking, Gobin founded Warrior Expeditions."

The program provides everything a veteran needs to complete the long-distance expedition. Each veteran receives highly-rated equipment and clothing, as well as a monthly stipend to buy resupply items. Community supporters, such as Susie Gary Jutson in Silver City, known as Trail Angels, provide food and lodging to the hikers as they travel on their way to the end of the Continental Divide Trail at the northern end of Montana. She provided food and a place to relax April 27 and 28.

Other trails in the program include, the original trail—the Appalachian Trail—the Continental Divide Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail, the so-called triple crown achievement. Five other trails are also part of the Warrior Hike program.

The three hikers coming through Silver City, having begun their CDT trek on April 18 at the Mexico-U.S. border south of Lordsburg, all hail from Ohio, but met each other for this expedition. 

Nathan Buchholz said he grew up in the outdoors and used to do getaways in Northern Minnesota during and after his service in the Army. "I use the outdoors as a reset button to address my issues. I deal with problems therapeutically by hiking. I planned to hike the Appalachian Trail, but in researching that, I learned about Warrior Expeditions and volunteered with them for a time."

He served in Afghanistan. "On March 15, 2015, I got out. On March 16, I was on the Appalachian Trail. It was a good experience. I was bitter and mad at the world, but it helped me see the good in the average person. It was a hard, physical experience, but when you do it with other combat veterans who understand, it makes it easier. The most important experience is seeing the best of civilians. I'm at another transition in my life, so I'm doing the CDT, using hiking to reset my mental state."

Ronald Young, said he grew up in Ohio, and joined the Marine Corps in 1993. "I was in combat in Iraq in 2003. Both my grandfathers were World War II veterans. The one I was very close with died a couple of years ago. I always wanted to make them proud. I knew from the time I was five years old that I was going into the military."

After Young's time in the military, he went to work for the government, in 2004, as a contractor in Afghanistan, Iraq and Africa. "My last official day was April 14. I gave it all up for Warrior Expeditions. When I was selected I was astounded. It meant a great deal to me, so I resigned my job. I'm going to do it."

"Every two or three years, things come back up," Young said. "After multiple deployments in combat on active duty and then with the government—I was gone eight to nine months of the year from 2004-2012. I was one of 10 guys who took Ambassador Stevens back to Libya. When he was killed, it was hard. I went TDY from Afghanistan and was there 47 days. It was hard, but nothing I regret. Everything you're been through makes you a different person. I'm learning how not to forget, but how to cope."

Slade Scott said he ran into Warrior Expeditions when he was hiking on the Appalachian Trail last year. "I put in an application, and here I am. My therapy is through the outdoors. I just retired from 26 years in the Navy and don't have a good career path. I'm taking some time to figure it out as it goes. I'm also from Ohio. I gotta figure out what to do. In the military, I've always known what was next. Many continue to work on contract with the government. I don't want to."

Young said he knew nothing else, so he did government for "one too many years. I was never able to let go, because of what I was doing at work. What am I going to do?"

Scott said: "You meet hikers who work six month and hike for six months, so I know it's OK. I retired as an E8, and had people pushing me. I don't have to be a business professional. It seems like it's the other thing you know. But meeting other civilians other than the ones that work for the machine you're part of, helps.

Buchholz said he joined the military with no direction. "It gives you a clear path to follow, but I lost a piece of me. What do I do? Through-hikes give me satisfaction of life and meeting the best of people."

Young said too many people have been lost to drugs, alcohol. "We will not accept that life."

Scott said he lived in Australia and in three years, he hiked all over the country. "I hiked 1,500 miles of the Appalachian Trail. It was time well spent. I am enjoying every minute of this."

He said he tries to hike at least 20 miles a day. "I would like to finish the trail. I get up at 5:30, am hiking by 6:30, take a break when it's hot and hike until 8:30 p.m."

The three men hike separately. Scott said he doesn't know what he will get out of it, but "something will come of it. I have always found peace in the mountains. I listen to what's around me, watch the wildlife and take pictures of the plants."

The spaghetti dinner was served, hosted also by Brad Brock and Laura Brown, two more trail angels. The three also planned to take in the 40th anniversary bash at Seedboat Gallery in downtown Silver City. They left again on Sunday to continue their hike on the 3,100 miles of the CDT.

Another veteran had been part of their group, but he had to drop out because of an old injury that made it impossible to continue.